1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing flat glass wherein the glass is formed while being supported on a surface of a pool of molten metal. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for moving a glass edge guide device extending through a wall of the forming chamber in order to place it in desired positions for controlling the glassmaking process.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Flat glass may be produced by delivering molten glass into an enclosed chamber containing a pool of molten metal and floating the glass on the molten metal while advancing it along the metal surface and cooling it to form a continuous sheet or ribbon of flat glass as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 710,357 to Heal, U.S. Pat. No. 789,911 to Hitchcock, U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,551 to Pilkington and U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,346 to Edge and Kunkle. It is known that devices may be employed inside flat glass forming chambers as shown in these representative patents to guide or position a layer, body or ribbon of glass floating upon and advancing along the surface of molten metal during and following formation into a stable sheet or ribbon of flat glass. As illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,223,503 and 3,223,509 to barradell-Smith and Silverwood, devices known as water fences may be employed as glass edge guides. Such devices are thought to provide guiding forces to an advancing layer of glass by inducing desired flows in the supporting pool or bath of molten metal by controlled localized cooling thereof. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,432,284 and 3,432,285 to Gulotta and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,843,346 to Edge and Kunkle disclose the use of devices known as guides or restrictors for physically engaging the edges of an advancing layer of glass and restricting or hindering its outward flow from a desired location. U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,880 to Pilkington illustrates devices which, with limited modifications, are known as fenders. Fenders, like restrictors, are designed to prevent the outward flow of glass and restrain the outward movement of the edges of an advancing layer of glass during its formation. Fenders are particularly characterized as being made of material which is not readily wet by molten glass and are used primarily during the manufacture of glass having a thickness greater than that attained when glass is allowed to flow freely outwardly on molten metal until it reaches an equilibrium with the molten metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,868 to Swillinger illustrates a support for water fence apparatus intended to permit the movement of such a water fence laterally or longitudinally or vertically with respect to the glass forming chamber with which it is associated. U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,438 to Gladieux and Miller illustrates support devices for restrictors and fenders to permit the ready adjustment of the positions of such glass guide devices.
In order to permit the operators of a large flat glass forming facility such as used commercially for the manufacture of flat glass to readily adjust conditions in order to make a variety of desired products, it has become necessary to seek improvements in the equipment and devices employed for guiding glass as it advances through such large commercial forming chambers. In particular, it has been desired to provide means for adjusting and controlling the position of glass guide devices such as those already described.